Category: NRA Classes

The National Rifle Association’s primary mission has been training, education, and marksmanship since its founding in 1871. The NRA has some of the only nationally-recognized training curricula and offer solid introductions to their subject matter.

The NRA Range Safety Officer program was developed in response to the demand for a nationally recognized range safety officer certification. NRA Range Safety Officers are people who possess the knowledge, skills, and attitude essential to organizing, conducting, and supervising safe shooting activities and range operations. It covers Range Safety Officer’s roles and responsibilities, range standard operating procedures, range inspection and range rules, firearm stoppages and malfunctions, range safety briefings, and emergency procedures.

Certified NRA Range Safety Officers are required for all Boy Scouts of America, all NRA-sanctioned, and most other competitions & shooting events, as well as most gun clubs & commercial ranges.

This is a classroom-only course.

Requirements: must be 21 or older and score 90% or better on the written exam

Length: 9 hours

Cost: $175 for the class, plus the NRA credentialing fee ($10-50 depending on whether this is your first NRA rating and whether you’re a member or not[*]).

Note: if you’re a currently-certified NRA instructor or coach in a firearm discipline, you have the option of taking this course online at NRAOnlineTraining.org.

* All first-time instructors, coaches, and range safety officers pay a flat credentialing fee of $50 for a 2-year term. Additional ratings are added at $20 each. Renewals are $50 for a 2-year term regardless of how many ratings are being renewed.

For NRA members, credentialing fees are $30 for a 2-year term. Additional ratings are added at $10 each. Renewals are $30 for a 2-year term regardless of how many ratings are being renewed—click here to join.

Teaches the basic knowledge, skills, and attitude for owning and operating a pistol safely.

This course is at least 8-hours long and includes classroom and range time learning to shoot revolvers and semi-automatic pistols. Students learn NRA’s rules for safe gun handling; pistol parts and operation; ammunition; shooting fundamentals; range rules; shooting from the bench rest position, and two handed standing positions; cleaning the pistol; and continued opportunities for skill development.

Teaches the basic knowledge, skills, and attitude essential to the safe and efficient use of a handgun for protection of self and family, and to provide information on the law-abiding individual’s right to self-defense.

This is an eight-hour course. Students should expect to shoot approximately 100 rounds of ammunition. Students will learn basic defensive shooting skills, strategies for home safety and responding to a violent confrontation, firearms and the law, how to choose a handgun for self-defense, and continued opportunities for skill development. Students will receive the NRA Guide to the Basics of Personal Protection In The Home handbook, NRA Gun Safety Rules brochure, the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification booklet, and course completion certificate.

NRA Basic Personal Protection In The Home course is for law-abiding adult citizens, as defined by applicable federal, state, or local law, and experienced shooters (shooters able to show mastery of the basic skills of safe gun handling, shooting a group, zeroing the firearm, and cleaning the firearm) to maximize what can be learned from this course. Proof of shooting experience can be one of the following: NRA Basic Pistol Course Certificate, NRA FIRST Steps Course Certificate, NRA pistol competitive shooting qualification card, military DD 214 with pistol qualification, or passing the Pre-Course Assessment.

Comprehensive and intensive in its approach to equip the defensive shooting candidate with the skills needed to survive serious adversity.

The course teaches students the knowledge, skills and attitude essential for avoiding dangerous confrontations and for the safe, effective and responsible use of a concealed pistol for self-defense outside the home. Students have the opportunity to attend this course using a quality strong side hip holster that covers the trigger, or a holster purse. From a review of safe firearms handling and proper mindset to presentation from concealment and multiple shooting positions, this course contains the essential skills and techniques needed to prevail in a life-threatening situation.

The NRA Personal Protection Outside the Home is divided into two levels (basic and advanced). Level one is a nine-hour course and offers the essential knowledge and skills that must be mastered in order to carry, store, and use a firearm safely and effectively for personal protection outside the home. Upon completion of level one, students may choose to attend level two, which is an additional five hours of range training and teaches advanced shooting skills. After the classroom portion, students should expect to spend several hours on the range and shoot approximately 100 rounds of ammunition during level one. Level two involves five additional hours on the range and approximately 115 rounds of ammunition. The ammunition requirements are minimum and may be exceeded. Students will receive the NRA Guide to the Basics of Personal Protection Outside The Home handbook, NRA Gun Safety Rules brochure and the appropriate course completion certificates(s), NRA Basic Personal Protection Outside The Home (identifies strong-side hip holster or purse use) certificate, and NRA Advanced Personal Protection Outside The Home certificate.

The NRA Basics of Personal Protection Outside The Home is for adult individuals who are not disqualified from possessing a firearm as defined by applicable federal, state, or local law and are of good repute and possess defensive pistol skills presented in the NRA Basics of Personal Protection In The Home Course. Participants must also understand the basic legal concepts relating to the use of firearms in self-defense, and must know and observe not only general gun safety rules, but also those safety principles that are specific to defensive situations. Prospective participants can demonstrate that they have the requisite knowledge, skills, and attitudes by producing an NRA Basic Personal Protection In The Home Course Certificate, or by passing the pre-course evaluation.